It's Kind Of A Long Story
by K8 the great
Summary: Alice Longbottom II and James Potter II have known each other forever! As they go through the years they discover they have feelings for each other. (summary sucks but story is good [please have faith]) Read and Review Please!
1. Prologue

Yes yes I know. "Why are you starting another fic while still in the middle of another one?" Don't worry! Just because I am starting this one, does not mean I am abandoning my Divergent fic. I just needed a little break. I have a minor case of writers block and writing something else helps it. I am working on DSTCA as I work on this. (If you have no idea what fic I'm talking about, read it :D ) This is the prologue of my James and Alice fanfic. Please read and review!

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><p>Who am I? My name is Alice Longbottom II. And until now I didn't realize that I was a part of a beautiful love story. And with James Sirius Potter! Who would've thought that I'd end up with the messy-haired boy whose house I spent time at during Christmas since I could walk. It was a big and unexpected journey for us to get to this point. Nobody really seemed to expect it, least of all: Me. Everybody seemed as shocked as I did when we finally got together. Except maybe Lucy Weasley…<p>

James brushed my long blonde hair behind my ear and kissed me sweetly. He pulled back and looked me directly in the eye, his hazel ones connecting with my blue ones.

"I love you."

Three little words. They were so simple yet they meant so much. And they were being spoken softly to me right now.

"I love you, too," I whispered, breathless.

For a moment I thought about how we ended up like this. That is a long, long story. Fortunately, I have time to tell you.

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><p>If you click the next button I will love you forever. Prologues are never that great so hold tight!<p> 


	2. Chapter 1

Just so you know, this story will go through the years of James and Alice knowing each other. Please enjoy!

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><p>When we first met, James wasn't too keen on talking with me. Then again, he was four and I was three. Somehow I remember meeting him like it was yesterday.<p>

I was playing with these enchanted dolls with Rose and Lily, though Lily was only a toddler. The dolls spoke and moved around how we wanted them to. Rose's and my doll were having little conversations and making plastic food together while Lily's was doing some sort of spastic dance or something. I remember seeing Ginny pulling James towards me as he attempted to run away back to the other boys. Ginny, seemingly giving up, picked him up and carried him over to me. Keeping a firm grip on him, she spoke.

"Alice, sweetie, this is James, my son. James, this is Alice, Neville and Hannah's daughter. Say hello, won't you?" she asked. It sounded more like an order than a request.

James sighed in aggravation, forced a grin that looked painful, and said curtly, "Hello, Alice."

"Hi," I replied with a small smile.

Ginny had smiled warmly at me. All too soon her smile dropped from her face when James wiggled out of her hands and ran back to Fred, Albus, Louis, and Teddy.

All the other kids in the family were a lot nicer, though I'm not sure if I could count the babies as nice since all they did was babble and drool. But Victoire and Dominique cooed over me, Rosie and I became fast friends, Roxanne loved joking around with me, and I suppose the boys were nice but I didn't spend as much time with them.

Soon enough, us Longbottoms began visiting the Potter-Weasley clan repeatedly. We were practically part of the family! New baby Lucy was born, Luna and Rolf began bringing over their twins, Lorcan and Lysander, and Hugo started walking. I was there watching all their milestones.

Occasionally James would say hello to me or ask me to pass the juice at dinner, but not much more than that. The other boys warmed up to me. Albus played with me when I was bored and the other girls were asleep or doing something and Fred taught me how to light the perfect firecracker! Even little Hugo was nice to me and gave me a piece of chocolate when I fell off my broom!

As we grew older, I just ignored him. We rarely talked to each other and when we did, it was for less than twenty seconds. It didn't matter much to me but every time we didn't hold a conversation for a minute, James and I would get equally disapproving looks from one of our parents.

Finally, they took matters into their own hands and had a talk with us. It was a pretty spring day at the Burrow. All the kids were playing outside but James and I had been pulled aside. I was seven at the time and he was eight.

"James, Alice," Harry said. "We've noticed that ever since you two met, you haven't gotten along."

"And we wanted to know if there's any reason for that," my mum put in gently.

"You two have known one another for years now but you never speak. Are you mad at each other?" Ginny asked.

We just shrugged or shook our heads.

"Well we want you two to get along like you do with all the others," Dad said.

Me being the total Daddy's Girl that I am, said shamefully, "I'm sorry, Dad."

He smiled warmly at me, "Sweetie, it's not me that you have to apologize to."

He tilted his head in James's direction as if to say "go on".

I got what he meant after a second and said, "But why? I haven't done anything wrong to him."

"Me neither!" James but in. "So what if we're not friends? It's just the way things are! Girls and boys aren't _supposed_ to be friends."

"James, you know that's not true," Ginny chided. "You ought to be nice to Alice. She's a lovely young girl and you would be lucky to have her as a friend."

My cheeks burned with that statement. James snickered at my red face and I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Alice, be nice," Mum warned. I turned my eyes downcast. I hated disappointing my parents.

So hesitantly I looked back up at James who was a head taller than me and said, "Sorry, James."

"For…" Mum urged.

"For ignoring you and sticking my tongue out at you. It was mean of me," I said.

"Um, I'm sorry, too," James said unsure.

"And what are you sorry for, James?" Ginny smirked. She was clearly enjoying putting James on the spot. Harry was also holding back a smile.

James sighed dramatically and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you ever since I met you and for laughing at you before," he said.

"And?" Ginny said.

He huffed, "And for taking the last juice pouch when I already had one and you didn't last week."

"Anything else?" Ginny gently urged him.

"And for putting that bug in your hair at Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron's house that one time. But that was an accident, I swear it!"

I shuddered at that memory.

"It's okay, James, I forgive you," I stopped him. I didn't want him to turn me down another dark alley in Memory Lane.

"Good, now hug and you can go off and play," Mum said.

Both our eyes widened to the size of plates. Hug? No way! That was so not happening! But to my surprise James took a step forward, quickly wrapped me in his arms, and then bolted back outside. After a moment of shock, I ran outside too, where my friends were playing and awing at my little sister, Helena, who was blowing rainbow bubbles.

That was the first day that my parents could ever get us alone into a picture together.

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><p>Did you like? Please leave a review if you did! Or even if you didn't. Criticism is welcome!<p> 


	3. Chapter 2

Next chapter! Please read and review!

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><p>We got closer with each other as the years passed. At first, it was mostly to keep our parents off our backs but then we actually began having real conversations together! But all too soon, he was eleven and I was only ten. He had received his Hogwarts letter while I was destined to stay at home with Mum and Helena. At least I had most of his family to keep me company.<p>

"I promise I'll write every single one of you!" James said as he readied to board the train. I decided to accompany the family to King's Cross to say goodbye.

I waited patiently as he hugged his family. Cousins, aunts, uncles, Albus, Lily and his parents.

When Harry hugged James, I heard him say to his dad, "Promise to write me every day?"

"Of course," Harry promised. "Every day."

I was the only one who heard. I intended not to let anyone else know.

His cousins began hugging him again, telling him to send them pictures and not to cause too much trouble. Slowly they began leaving the station to get back home and I was the only one left.

I wrapped James in a tight hug and whispered in his ear, "You better write to me or you can count on dung bombs in your stocking at Christmas."

He chuckled and said, "I'll keep that in mind. Bye, Alice."

"See you soon, James," I said and let go.

He stepped onto the train and disappeared from my sight. And off sped the train, on to Hogwarts.

I waited impatiently for around a month to receive a letter from him. But his owl never came and the only ones that came from school was one from dad saying he couldn't wait to see us on the weekend. But letters never came from James and I was afraid he had forgotten me. I got prepared to Owl Order dung bombs.

But finally one morning in mid-October, I received a parcel carried by two tired looking owls. I quickly took the parcel and found why they looked so exhausted. The thing was heavy! Especially for two little birds!

I set the parcel down on the table and got some water for the owls. As soon as they were drinking, I sat down and tore the paper off the package. A letter floated out of the paper. It read **_Alice Longbottom_** in a messy scrawl that could only be identified as James's handwriting. I opened up the envelope and began reading.

_Dear Alice,_

_I promised to write so here it is! This probably took a while to get to your house since the parcel is kind of big and the owls aren't that large… Just so you know I sent this on September 21._

My mouth dropped open. Those poor birds had been flying for days! They probably had to stop a dozen times!

_The classes are amazing—except potions which is awful. Defense Against the Dark Arts is so cool! And Charms is really fun! The other day I made bubbles using only my wand! Isn't that awesome? I can't wait to see you and the others at Christmas! Tell Hannah and Helena hi and I'll see you in December for Christmas break._

_-James_

_P.S. I gave Teddy some galleons and got him to buy you some stuff in Hogsmeade. Hope you like it!_

I opened the cardboard box and saw loads of things with Honeydukes, Weasley Wizard Wheezes, and Zonkos labels on them. There was a box of colored firecrackers (requested by Fred, no doubt), a box of my favorite sugar quills, two packets of pepper imps, a pack of exploding snap cards, some chocolate frogs, color changing ink, a remembrall (which was some sort of joke involving my dad), and an assortment of other things.

Quickly I scribbled out a letter to him.

_Dear James,_

_Are you absolutely mad?! Those birds looked like they were going to drop dead the second I let them in! Why didn't you use a bigger bird? And that _is _really cool. I bet you're learning loads. Is History of Magic as boring as everyone says? And thank you so much for all that stuff! I'll have to ask my dad the story about the remembrall because he's never mentioned it to me. I'm eating a cinnamon-flavored sugar quill right now. Yum! Write back soon!_

_-Alice _

As soon as the owls looked healthy enough to fly, I sent them back to Hogwarts, one holding my letter for James. Then I ran upstairs to my room and stashed the box of gifts in the back of my closet so both Helena and Mum wouldn't find it. I'm never really selfish, but this was a gift for me and me only. I was determined to keep it that way.

Over the next few weeks, James and I owled back and forth. The next one I had gotten from him had a line that said: _We're all a little mad here, Alice. And yes I did just quote a muggle film._

He told me in his letters about taking flying lessons and how he was the best one there and how he _finally_ managed to turn his match into a needle after a hundred attempts. I told him how when we went to the Burrow and began to de-gnome the garden, we taught Helena how to do it too. Although she was only eight and a half, she could throw that gnome far! She got them past the tree stump four times!

Finally I received the final letter from him before it was time for him to come home.

_Dear Alice,_

_Thanks again for the Licorice Wands. I can't believe it's almost Christmas! I can't wait until I get home and see you and the whole family. I'm bringing a load of peppermint frogs for everyone. I've got one with your name on it. It keeps trying to escape! I'm not going to bother telling you what's happened this week because I'll be able to do that when I get home. See you in a few days!_

_-James_

I smiled and placed the letter next to me on the couch.

Helena bounced into the room took a glance at the letter and my smile and said, "Another letter from James? Is he your boyfriend or something?"

"Helena, stop it," I said with burning cheeks. "James is my friend. Friends write letters to one another."

She shrugged as if to say "I don't really believe you but I'll drop it". Yes, I _could_ get all of that from a shrug. She _did_ drop it.

The next two days passed slowly and filled with lots of boredom. The only exciting thing I did was watch a Quidditch game on the enchanted muggle television with Helena. It was the Holyhead Harpies versus the Appleby Arrows. Harpies won! Whoo! I spent the day celebrating with Helena eating exploding bonbons.

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><p>Did you likelove/hate it? Christmas next! This is going be a relatively slow romance story. But hang in there it's not _that_ bad!


	4. Chapter 3

Here's the next chapter! ENJOY!

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><p>It was the week of Christmas and every Weasley-Potter was home (except when Bill and Percy went out to buy some more pumpkin juice).<p>

When Mrs. Weasley put a piece of chicken on my plate I said, "Thank you, Molly."

Molly II had looked over in confusion and Mrs. Weasley belly laughed.

"Sweetie, just call me Nana or Nana Weasley," she told me. "Everyone does. It helps stop the confusion."

"Are you sure? Because I'm not your granddaughter and—"

"Gobswoggle!" she cried, making me blank. "You're as much a part of this family as Roxanne or Lucy is!"

"Okay, um, Nana," I said awkwardly.

I made my way out of the kitchen and sat down at the kids table next to Helena and Rose and across from James. He smiled at me and shoved a spoonful of mashed potatoes in his mouth. As dinner went on, James and Fred explained in vast detail the events that had happened at Hogwarts. How they got detention for dropping a slime ball off the west tower and on to Professor Javeston's head. He was the bitter potions professor. James also talked about how Gryffindor beat Hufflepuff in Quidditch and he couldn't wait to try out next year.

"It was rigged. Must've been," Victoire declared sourly. She clearly wasn't happy about her house's loss.

"Maybe if you would try out already for Keeper than your house would win more often," Teddy said.

She shook her blonde head rapidly. Teddy just shrugged.

As we ate, we discussed Quidditch and which teams were best. Hugo argued that the Chudley Cannons were best, which his dad clearly taught him to say, while Rose and I vouched for the Harpies. Albus but in every now and then saying some fun facts about the players like "Did you know Avery Faspion's favorite candy is acid pops?" or "I read in a Quidditch book that Bradley Davison has a charity that goes to St. Mungo's."

After stuffing ourselves full with desserts of cakes, brownies, and cookies, we migrated into the living room. Mol—I mean Nana came in the room once everyone was settled, levitating dozens of flax cardboard boxes behind her.

"Alright, everyone! It's time for Weasley Christmas Jumpers!" she said and the boxes slowly distributed themselves around the room.

All the kids had sweaters with designs while the adults had solid colors because Nana had run out of different colors to give out. I always loved seeing what designs were made. Last year Rose got an orange sweater with flowers on it and Fred had gotten a dark blue sweater with bright smiley faces.

Last year was the first Christmas our family ever spent with them and they didn't expect us to come. Usually we spent it with my grandma but she passed away. So instead of feeling sorry for ourselves we decided to divulge in the Christmas spirit with their family.

I watched as Albus opened his box to find a black sweater with golden snitches on it.

I was so caught up in seeing who got what on their sweater that I jumped when Hermione touched my shoulder. She was wearing a purple sweater.

"Alice, you have one too," she told me, holding a box out in front of her.

Mrs. Weasley was also smiling down at me

"Mo—I mean Nana, this is too much! You shouldn't have made one for me," I said.

"Nonsense, dear. Like I said before, you are part of this family. And you are going to wear your jumper whether you like it or not. Fred and James will wrestle you into it," Nana said. "So go on, open it!"

Smiling, I pulled off the top of the box and unfolded the sweater. It was a baby blue with white snowflakes. The sweater was extremely soft.

I stood up and hugged Nana tightly.

"Thank you," I said.

"Of course, Alice," she said. "Now put it on."

I grinned and pulled it over my shirt.

James came over smiling. His sweater was red with cartoony lions on it. Obviously a celebration that he was put into Gryffindor.

"I like it," he said. "It matches your eyes."

"Thanks. I like yours, too," I replied.

Lily and Dominique bounced over. Lily had a light pink sweater with white bunnies and Dom had a mint green sweater with lavender stars.

"Alice, I love your sweater!" Dom gushed.

"Yeah, it's so Christmassy!" Lily said.

"I'm really feeling the love, guys, thanks," James said sarcastically and walked over to Fred.

As the night progressed, we talked and laughed, watched a funny muggle film called Home Alone, and Louis burned his tongue on hot chocolate. Things started winding down and eventually Hugo and Lucy got tired and went to sleep. That was when Dad decided it was for us to floo home.

With a quick "Merry Christmas!" and a long hug from Rose, I threw a pinch of floo powder into the fireplace and transported back to my house.

I only saw James one more time during his break but he spent most of that time with his family. I understood. He had been away for ages and it was important to spend time with them. I ended up playing Gobstones with Rose and Dom for most of the time. After that day he went back to Hogwarts for the rest of the year (him and Fred had decided to spend Easter break at school).

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><p>I hope you guys liked that chapter! And if you didn't then oh well, nothing I can do about it... PLEASE leave me a review because they always make my day! Also check out my other stories (especially Divergent School of Theatrical and Creative Arts). Love all my awesome followersreviewers!


	5. Chapter 4

"Hurry! To the platform!" Hermione guided us to the brick wall that I'd been through several times. Only this time I wasn't come back out for a good few months.

"Mum, calm down," Rose said. "The train doesn't leave for fifteen more minutes!"

"Better early than late, Rosie," she said. "Okay, Vic and Teddy first."

Victoire and Teddy ran at full speed toward the brick wall. The last thing I caught a glimpse of was Teddy's blue hair before thy melted into the wall. Next, Dom and Fred went through. Then James and Roxie, Louis and Molly, Albus and Lucy, and then me and Rose. The rest were coming through with the adults.

Hundreds of kids were already on the platform giving goodbye hugs and then running to greet old friends.

Mum bent down to my height and looked me in the eye.

"Don't worry about what house you get. Everywhere you go one of the Weasleys will be there for you. In Gryffindor you have Teddy, Fred, James, and Roxie. Hufflepuff you have Victoire. Ravenclaw you have Dom and Louis," she said.

"But what if I get Slytherin?" I asked. "Then I'll be alone."

"Sweetie, I doubt you'll be put in Slytherin. But if you are, you can make new friends. There's no harm in meeting new people."

"Okay, Mum," I said and hugged her tighter. "I'll miss you."

"You too, Alice. But we'll see each other soon," she said.

I nodded into her shoulder, "Okay. Love you."

"I love you, too."

Then I began hugging the Weasleys and Potters that weren't old enough for Hogwarts. When I got to Hugo, I saw over his shoulder Harry talking to James. Again, like déjà vu, I heard what he said.

"James, I know that at school it's not particularly _cool_ to hang around your little brother. But please do this for me: watch out for Al. I don't care if your friends think it's stupid or weird but he's new to this school and I want you to look after him. Rose and Alice, too. This is their first year at Hogwarts and they don't know anyone other than you and the rest of the family. So please, James, look after them," Harry said

James nodded, "Okay, Dad. I'll see you soon."

And with one last hug to Lily, he hopped on the train with Fred and Albus.

"Come on, Alice!" Rose grabbed my hand.

"Bye, Mum!" I called before Rose pulled me on the train.

We stood awkwardly for a moment, not sure where to go when Roxie waved us over.

"In here!" she called from the door of a compartment.

Rose and I hurried inside where there others were leaning out the window, waving to their parents. I joined them and waved at Mum and Helena.

"Don't forget to write!" Helena shouted over the noise.

"I won't!" I shouted back.

The train began to move and Helena tried to keep up.

"I'll miss you!" I called as we sped out of view. I heard her faintly yell back "You too!"

Smiling, I sat back in my seat next to Rose.

"On to Hogwarts, then," Dom said.

"Yeah," I said. "On to Hogwarts."

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><p>Sorry for such a short chapter! Please leave me a review! It means a lot when I see them!<p> 


	6. Chapter 5

I know, I know. I haven't uploaded for months, I suck, I should be cast into the deepest parts of hell, etc. But bear with me! I'm trying here. Please read and review!

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><p>The train had been speeding along for an hour now. We filled that time playing Exploding Snap. I won two out of the seven times! Roxy won three times, James won once, and Albus won the last.<p>

"Rigged, I tell you," Fred pouted. Dom patted his back soothingly.

When we got bored with that game, Teddy taught us a simple muggle card game that I already knew courtesy of my cousins on Mum's side. It was called Go Fish. Some game where you had to collect all of the cards for each number… it had nothing on Exploding Snap but nevertheless I beat them all.

Another hour passed and the Candy Lady came by our compartment. The kids quickly decided that James would have to get their candy because they were too lazy to stand.

"Ugh," he groaned. "Somebody come with me! I can't remember what everybody wants!"

And then his eyes landed on me.

"Alice!" he exclaimed. "You're smart! Help me."

So while Dom and Fred and Rose and the rest shoved their galleons into James's hands, they told me what they wanted. I made the best mental list that I could and stood up with James.

"Six Licorice Wands, one Sugar Quill, five Cauldron Cakes, two boxes of Bertie Botts, three Giant Gumdrops, and twelve Chocolate Frogs," I recounted. I hoped to Merlin I was exact or I would be destroyed by the hungry cousins in the compartment.

James stared at me as if I had lifted Mount Olympus and thrown it across the ocean.

"How in Merlin's bloody balls did you remember all that?" he asked in amazement. I just shrugged.

She stood for a moment doing the math and finally decided on: "Thirty-two galleons and five knuts."

James paid while shaking his head, occasionally mumbling: "Unbelievable."

The Candy Lady took the money, smiled kindly, and moved on. We were about to reenter but I stopped James with a hand on his arm.

"Listen," I said, recalling the thought that had been nagging at me for the past two hours. "I heard your dad telling you to look out for Al and Rose and me. I don't care if you look out for them or not but you don't have to pay me any extra attention if you don't want to. I'm sure it'd be an extreme inconvenience so you don't have to bother."

He smiled softly at me and said, "I know I don't have to but I'm going to. Not just because Dad told me to, but I want to."

And then he went into our compartment with the pile of candy in his arms, handing it out to his cousins and brother.

"You got my Bertie Botts?" Teddy asked.

"Give me my gumdrops!" Roxy shouted.

"What about my Chocolate Frogs?" Albus said.

"Do you have the Licorice Wand I asked for?" Rose demanded.

"And my Cauldron Cake?" Dom said.

"I got one of those too!" Louis reminded.

James and I handed out the candy with as much order as we could muster. I made a mental note to never be on Candy Duty again. It was a nightmare. At the end I was shocked to still be in one piece.

When everyone finally got their rightful candy, it was peaceful. And peace is a rarity in the Weasley-Potter clan. I sucked on my Sugar Quill with my head leaned against the window and watched them in the calm of the storm. Albus, Rose, and Molly traded Chocolate Frog cards, Teddy and Fred made disgusted faces at the beans tastes, Roxy nibbled on a Cauldron Cake, and the others munched on their miscellaneous treats.

It was dark by the time the train reached Hogwarts. Everyone filed out in a frenzy to get to the feast and, more importantly, to bed. The older kids separated from Albus, Rose, and I, wishing luck and hopes for new house members. The three of us got in one of the boats that were being led by a man who I'd later come to know as Hagrid.

It was then that my nerves got jumbled. Where would I be put? Gryffindor with James and Fred and Roxy? Or Hufflepuff with Dom and Molly? Or Ravenclaw with Dom and Louis?

Or Slytherin all by myself?

The Great Hall was indeed great. That was one of my first thoughts when I walked into the enormous dining room. I spotted James and Fred at the Gryffindor table and pointed them out to Albus. They gave us a smile and thumbs up. Molly grinned at us from Hufflepuff and Victoire waved. An assortment of other Weasleys waved from the tables and finally we reached the front. Dad, who was sitting in one of the chairs, gave me a smile. The Sorting Hat was on a little stool and started singing a song about the four houses and how awesome each of them were in their own ways. I turned around and raised an eyebrow at the nearest Weasley, which was Rose. She shrugged.

"When I call your name, you will come forward and sit on the stool. I will then place the Sorting Hat on your head," a Scottish accent rang out. I snapped to attention and saw Professor McGonagall. I recognized her from the backs of Chocolate Frog cards and I saw her photo once or twice in the Daily Prophet.

"Adran, Michael."

The small boy stumbled forward and the hat was placed on his head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat cried.

It continued on like that. Children were called up alphabetically, sat on the stool, hat on the head, and Sorted. Then the table of their new house would erupt into applause. I fidgeted, my nerves getting the better of me. Twiddling my thumbs, I wondered what each house would be like. Gryffindor would be loud and rowdy. Hufflepuff would caring and welcoming. Ravenclaw would be calm and collected. And Slytherin would be cold and dismissive.

I shook my head slightly. I wasn't going to be put in Slytherin. It was _not _going to happen. I spent the time until I was called convincing myself this.

"Longbottom, Alice."

Dad leaned forward and muttering broke out amongst the students.

"Professor Longbottom has a daughter?"

"I wonder what house she'll be in."

"Probably a klutz like her dad."

"She's going to get so much favoritism!"

My cheeks turned red with the words and I stepped forward, willing myself not to trip. Thank Merlin I didn't. I sat on the stool and McGonagall placed the hat on my head. It slipped over my eyes and everything was dark.

_Alice Longbottom_, the Sorting Hat mused. _Where shall I put you? Gryffindor like your father? Or Hufflepuff like your mother? Or should I put you somewhere else? I know you aren't Slytherin, that's for sure. _(I sighed in relief) _I don't think Gryffindor's quite right either. You're a very smart witch but kind also. But I think I'll go with…_

"RAVENCLAW!"

The blue house cheered loudly as I took off the hat and joined them at the table. Dom patted a seat next to her so I sat there. James and I caught eyes and he shrugged as in _"oh well"._

I was in Ravenclaw. The house of books and wit.

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><p>What did you think? Good? Okay? Great? Please please PLEASE review!<p> 


	7. Chapter 6

Wow I completely forgot this fic existed. I am so sorry to anyone who actually enjoyed this! So yeah I'll just leave this right here. Sorry again... Here's a short update! I might put something else up later.

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><p>The next few years passed in a blur. I was so absorbed in schoolwork that I barely realized time was going by until Hugo, Lucy, and Helena were all in school. Helena got sorted into Gryffindor and I had to bite back my jealousy. She got to spend time with James, who had really become my best friend.<p>

Although we were in different houses, I still did spend time with him, but we were both so busy! He was a beater on the Gryffindor Quidditch team and I- well, I was focused on my studies. I didn't want to disappoint my mum and I was a Ravenclaw. There were standards that I needed to meet. Standards that I _couldn't_ meet when it came Herbology, which was incredibly ironic. Dad wasn't happy about only giving me an A on my final exam in my second year. I probably deserved a T.

It was now the summer after third year, and I was spending more time than ever at the Burrow. Before, my family usually only went over for special occasions, like Christmas or birthdays. But I found myself flooing over more and more, just for the reason to see James and the others.

It didn't matter what we were doing; time at the Burrow was never spent badly. James and I often sat together and watched muggle telly and ended up falling asleep on the couch all cuddled up.

It must have appeared more than friendly because one day, Rose pulled me aside. "Do you like my cousin?"

"You'll have to be more specific," I giggled.

She rolled her eyes. "_James_," she said. "Do you like James?"

At this, I frowned. A crush on James? "Why do you think that?"

"You always come over to see him," she pointed out.

"Because he's my friend!" I said.

"Well, yeah," Rose said, "but you always get blushy around him. And you giggle, too."

"He says dumb things that make me laugh," I defended. "I do _not_ have a crush on him."

"Have a crush on who?"

We gasped and turned around. James stood in the doorway, a quaffle tucked under his arm. His dark hair was wind tussled and I knew I was about to get roped into a game of Quidditch.

"N-no one! No crush," I said weakly. As if on cue, a blush rose to my cheeks and I saw Rose smirking at me.

James didn't seem to notice my nervousness and a smile easily graced his face. "Okay. Now, come on outside, you two! We're playing a match and need two more to balance everything out!"

I pouted. "James, you know I suck at Quidditch!"

"And that's why I'm putting you on the other team," he grinned. Rose laughed and grabbed my arm, dragging me outside behind her.

I was made keeper of Freddie's team. As always, I sucked, but I was barely paying attention. All I could think of was Rose's assumption.


End file.
